Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 47 minutes ago
Join two museum directors as they discuss the global challenge of preserving cultural heritage. In this one-on-one interview, Omara Khan Masoudi, the former director of the National Museum of Afghanistan, talks with Chase F. Robinson, the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
Afghanistan is a country with notable cultural heritage but has also endured decades of political, military, and social turmoil. No individual has witnessed these events as closely or has worked harder to mitigate the destruction of Afghanistan’s cultural patrimony than Omara Khan Masoudi. In this two-part interview, he shares his experiences across decades, from the 1960s to the present.
In this second half of their discussion, Masoudi explains the steps the museum took to protect its most beloved objects during the Soviet occupation, and he talks about the sorrow caused by the looting and the destruction of priceless artifacts during the civil war. He also describes the way countries around the globe came together to help the museum repair and recover. Then, he discusses his experience becoming director in 2001 and the work his team undertook to rehabilitate the building, reestablish conservation, digitize the collection, and recover looted pieces with the help of the international community. Lastly, he shares his hopes for the future.
View Part 1: youtu.be/YjkC8d9LfuE
We’ve spent two years recording Masoudi’s oral history in order to preserve this important story. Access the full history: https://sova.si.edu/record/fsa.a2024.03
Join two museum directors as they discuss the global challenge of preserving cultural heritage. In this one-on-one interview, Omara Khan Masoudi, the former director of the National Museum of Afghanistan, talks with Chase F. Robinson, the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
Afghanistan is a country with notable cultural heritage but has also endured decades of political, military, and social turmoil. No individual has witnessed these events as closely or has worked harder to mitigate the destruction of Afghanistan’s cultural patrimony than Omara Khan Masoudi. In this two-part interview, he shares his experiences across decades, from the 1960s to the present.
In this second half of their discussion, Masoudi explains the steps the museum took to protect its most beloved objects during the Soviet occupation, and he talks about the sorrow caused by the looting and the destruction of priceless artifacts during the civil war. He also describes the way countries around the globe came together to help the museum repair and recover. Then, he discusses his experience becoming director in 2001 and the work his team undertook to rehabilitate the building, reestablish conservation, digitize the collection, and recover looted pieces with the help of the international community. Lastly, he shares his hopes for the future.
View Part 1: youtu.be/YjkC8d9LfuE
We’ve spent two years recording Masoudi’s oral history in order to preserve this important story. Access the full history: https://sova.si.edu/record/fsa.a2024.03
